Rim-opener.



r No. v694,5I8. v l Patented Mar. 4, |902.

y A N; vAXLUND.

Imm openen.

(lo Modal.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELS AXLUND, OF KOMSTAD, SOUTH DAKOTA.

R|M=OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,518, dated March 4,1902. Application filed Tune 17,1901. Serial No. 64,850. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NELS AxLUND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Komstad, in the county of Clay, State of South Dakota, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rim-Openers and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- actdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tools for use in building vehicle-wheels andit has for its object to provide means for spreading the felly,

so that it may be easily applied to the spokes of the wheel, the objectof the invention being to provide a cheap and simple device that may beapplied to felly-sections of different lengths, a further object of theinvention being to provide a construction that may be operated with aminimum expenditure of energy.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure l is a plan View showing the tool applied to afelly to expand it.Fig. 2 is a detail View of 0ne` of the clamps. Fig. 3 is a detail viewof the jack. A

Referring now to the drawings, the present device consists of a jackincluding an arcuate plate 5, having a central threaded perforation inwhich is engaged a screw 6, at one end of which is pivotedabearing-place 7 ,having a slightlyrecessed face to fit snugly againstthe periphery of the felly to be spread, and at the opposite end of thescrew 6 is fixed a crank 8 by rotation of which the screw may be fedinwardly or outwardly through the plate 5. At the ends of the plateareformed eyes 9 by bending the extremities of the plate, and with theseeyes are engaged the eyes l0 at the bases of the stems of hooks 11, andwhich hooks 11 are adapted for engagement with the links of achain12interchangeably. There is one of these chains at each end of the place5, as shown, and the chains are connected with clamps 13, each of whichconsists of a U-shaped metalcasting, with one leg of which is engaged aclamping-screw 14:, and it is lto this leg of the clamp that the chainis attached.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, in the use of the tool the 'clamps13 are engaged with the ends of the felly, so that the screws 14 may bebrought into engagement with the outer face thereof to grip the oppositearm of the clamp against the inner face of the felly, and theclamping-plate 7 of the jack-screw 6 is disposed against the outer faceof the felly.

It is of course understood that the hooks have been adjusted in thechains so as to draw the chains practically taut, and if the jack-screwbe then rotated to pass itthrough the place 5 said plate will be movedaway from the felly, and the chains will be drawn upon to spread orflatten out the felly. When the felly has been spread to the properdegree, it is adjusted to the spokes of the wheel to which it is to beapplied, and the screw is then reversely rotated to permit the felly toresume its former position and take the ends of the spokes into thesockets that are pro= vided for them.

It will be understood thatin practice modiiications of the invention maybe made.

What is claimed is- 1. A device of the class described comprising a jackincluding a plate and a screw engaged therewith and adapted to impinge afelly, chains adjustably connected with the plate, and means connectedwith the chains for engagement with the ends of the felly.

2. A device of the class described comprising a jack including a plateand a screw to impinge against a felly, clamps for engagement with theends ofthe felly, chains connected with the clamps and means for adjustably connecting the chains with the plate.

8. A device of the class described comprising anarcuate plate havingterminal eyes, a screw engaged with the plate for impingement with theouter periphery of a felly and provided with means for rotating it,hooks having terminal eyes pivotally engaged with the eyes of the plate,clamps for engagement with the ends of a felly, and chains connectedwith'the clamps and with the links of which the hooks are adapted forinterchangeabley engagement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto sign my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

NELS AXLUN D.

Witnesses:

WM. PAYsnN, NELs WEBERG.

IOO

